1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a flatbed scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flatbed scanners each have a reading surface made of, for example, a glass plate to read an original placed on the reading surface. Such type scanners are highly user-convenient because the scanners can support a variety of originals, including a thin original, such as a sheet type original, and a thick original, such as a book. The size of the reading surface has to be equal to or larger than the size of an original at minimum. Accordingly, the miniaturization of such a scanner, in particular, a reduction in footprint of the scanner is seriously limited. Some attempts have been made to solve the above-described problem.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-134285 discloses an image forming apparatus including a mechanism in which a reading surface is placed vertically (in a vertical posture) while a scanner is not used and the reading surface is shifted to a horizontal posture before the scanner is used in order to reduce the footprint of the apparatus while the scanner is not used.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-134285, although the footprint of the apparatus can be reduced while the apparatus is not used, the apparatus has to need a large footprint at all times while being used because the reading surface is placed horizontally during usage of the apparatus.